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S. A. DREWRY.

Abdominal Supporter.

Patented April 12,1881.

N. PETE-1S, PHDTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D. C-

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SARAH A. DREWRY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,943, dated April 12, 1881.

A Application filed March 5,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SARAH A. DREWRY, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Abdominal Supporters, of which the followin g is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specificatiomin'which- Figure l is a front elevation of my improved abdominal supporter, and Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portion of the same, showinga modification in the gore forming the hip-pocket.

My invention has for its object the formation or construction of an abdominal supporter or bandage that shall yield to the change in shape of the abdomen when lifted upward, and yet be held firmly and securely in place.

Owing to defects in these bandages or supporters as heretofore constructed, it has been common to use suspenders over the shoulders and perineal or other straps passing under the thighs or to the stockings, to prevent the hipbone or great trochanter from pushing or crowding the supporter out of its proper position or place but in the present constructionone object is to make the hip-bone itself aid in retaining the supporter in place; and to this end the invention consists in forming in the supporter a gore conforming in shape on its upper end or edge to the contour of the hipbone, on or over which it rests, and in forming gathers in or making said upper edge full, in such manner as to form a pocket for the hipbone to rest in, and thus avoid the crowding of said supporter out of place by said bone.

The construction by which this object is at tained will be best understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which- A A represent the two parts forming the body of the supporter, united in front by a strip or gore, B, of elastic fabric, the parts A A being made of any usual or suitable material. Other vertical strips of elastic material may be inserted at other points, if desired; and the ends of the bandage are provided either with straps a and buckles a, as shown, for uniting them at the back, or eyelets or hooks and strings for lacing may be employed in lieu of the straps and buckles, if preferred.

At proper points 0 O in the sides of the supsame as in Fig. 1.

porter portions are cut away from the lower edge or side of the parts A A, giving to the edge of the opening an arching form conformit ing in shape or general outline to the form or contour of the great trochanter, over which said edge is designed to rest, and within the opening thus formed is secured a gore, D D, made preferably" from a single piece of woven fabric, thelower portion, D, being made elastic, or having an elastic filling, while the upper portion, D, where it is united with the partA or A, is made inelastic, butis gathered or given an added fullness, as shown, forming, as it were, a pocket to accommodate the hip-bone or great trochanter resting therein.

In Fig.2 a modification iu the gore is shown, the elastic portion at the lower part beingomitted and an inelastic fabric being used for the entire gore but in this case the upper edge is gathered and given additional fullness, the By either construction a pocketis formed for the hip-bone to restin,'while the body of the supporter above said pocket is drawn tight, preventing the supporter from slipping down, and the lower portion of the gore below the pocket, at D, being also drawn tight, the supporter is prevented from rising or being pushed upward by said bone.

In asupporter having this arrangement of 8c pockets for the hip-bones the ordinary shoulder and perineal straps can be dispensed with, as the pockets themselves, when constructed as described, will serve in most cases to effectually retain the supporter in place, though of course 1 the usual straps or retaining devices may be employed, in addition to the pockets, when desired. The arrangement of these straps being well understood, it has not been thought necessary to show them in the drawings.

Where the entire gore is made of ordinary or inelastic material, as above described, strips of elastic material similar to B should be inserted back of the gores D D and between said gores and the ends of the supporter, and they may be inserted at other points, if required. Whalebones may be inserted,'as indicated ate e, for holding the supporter properly distended.

Some of the advantages resulting from the construction described, aside from that of keeping the supporter in place, are freedom to the trochanter from pressure and in movement,,

efficient support of the same.

I am aware that V-shaped openings have, been made over the hips, the lower part only of said opening being closed by a straight elastic band, and I am also aware of similar openings filled with a piece of elastic, which, however, is not held full or gathered at its upper part to make a pocket for the hip-bone,

which is the essential feature of my invention. Having now described my invention, 1 claim 1. In an abdominal supporter, a gore made arching on its upper edge, conforming to the contour of the hip-bone, and gathered or made full in said edge or portion to form a pocket for said bone to rest in.

2. The gore in the supporter, gathered or made full on its upper edge where united to the body of the supporter, in combination with the elastic material forming the lower portion of said gore.

3. The combination, with the body of the supporter, of a'gore having its upper edge of inelastic fabric, gathered to form a pocket for the hip-bone, and its lower edge of elastic fabric, the two woven together in a single piece.

SARAH A. DREWRY.

Witnesses:

O. HEIDACKER, IRENE GLARRAGE. 

